1. Technical Background
The present invention relates to balloon catheters, and more particularly to a balloon catheter having a valve.
2. Discussion
Balloon catheters often have a flexible shaft, including a tubular basic body with a distal end and a proximal end, a lumen extending between the ends, as well as a balloon affixed to the shaft near the distal end that is connected with the lumen. Such a basic balloon catheter is generally known, whereby the dimensions of the balloon and the tubular basic body are selected such that the balloon catheter can carry out a therapeutic treatment.
Balloon catheters may often be used with a guidewire. Unfortunately, guidewires may tend to move, such as when a catheter is withdrawn over the guidewire in order to replace it with another catheter, and such displacement is undesired.
One of the objects of the invention is to provide a balloon catheter having a profile size similar to that of a guidewire. The present invention provides a narrow low profile balloon catheter, which can serve as a guidewire, over which another catheter or medical device can be passed and introduced. This second, "interventional" catheter can be used to carry out the actual desired treatment, such as angioplasty or deploying a stent.
The balloon catheter according to the present invention can be operated to wedge itself in between the internal walls of a body cavity or blood vessel. Thus, the present invention tends to ensure that emboli will not enter the blood stream, because they will be intercepted by the balloon. In addition, the balloon catheter of the present invention tends to exert no significant force that might cause the guidewire to move.
Moreover, the balloon acts in addition as a stop or distal safeguard, in the sense that an interventional catheter used for the actual treatment is resisted from advancing beyond the inflated balloon of the present invention. This balloon acting as a plug is deflated until reaching its destination, so that during transport to this site, the balloon does not hinder the insertion of the present balloon catheter.
These and various other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, when considered in conjunction with the appended drawings.